Between Hell and Heaven
by Liondove
Summary: A girl moves from Boston to SF to attend a Catholic private school on her parents order. The goal: a perfect daughter. But then she befriends 2 'outcast' girls, imm. setting her up for the dramatic, hilarious, exhilarating journey of a regular teen's lif
1. Chapter 1

BETWEEN HELL AND HEAVEN

What happens when a bunch of eleventh-graders that go to a boarding school have a dance? It's complete Hell, with girls wearing clothes that show stomach, cleavage, and legs, and boys wearing sagging pants and big shirts.

Now picture that, but add on two things: they go to an expensive, _religious_ boarding school. Yeah, I know, right? Welcome to my world.

It's a pain in the ass to go to a private school, but a religious one, too? Just this fact alone will help you imagine what my parents are like. I'll help you.

My mom wears ankle-length dresses every day. In the winter she wears boots, and in the summer she wears sandals; in between she wears wide flat black shoes. She never talks louder than a light whisper, and prays when she gets up, before she eats, after she eats, and before she goes to bed. She doesn't wear make-up or drink any sort of alcohol, doesn't wear any jewelry besides her wedding ring (a gold band) and her crucifix earrings made of white stones. She doesn't swear, doesn't argue, and doesn't order. She's quiet, calm, and stays out of the way. She does all the housework, knits sweaters, and follows whatever my father says.

My father wears a suit _every single damn day, _all 365 days. He keeps his hair short, doesn't have any facial hair, and keeps a Bible with him at all times. He prays as much as my mother, leading the prayer before meals with heavy emotion. He drives a gray grandpa car, doesn't drink, smokes his pipe—pipe!—out on the porch every night as he reads the paper, and makes me do my homework at the kitchen table, checking over everything twice when I'm done. He doesn't get the math, but what the hell, he can pretend, right?

I have to wear a white blouse, white tights, flat black shoes, a blue skirt, and a plain blue jacket with my initials embroidered in fancy cursive in small white letters over my heart. For winter we have black boots and windbreakers, and a heavy blue jacket to wear over our every-day jacket if it's not raining but just cold. We are instructed not to raise our skirts, not to wear high heels, not to sag our pants (boys, since they're the only ones that get to wear pants), not to wear any visible undergarments (bras) under our blouses, and not to cut our hair any shorter than shoulder-length. Boys can't get it any longer than jaw-length. Our blue shoulder bags aren't supposed to have anything 'gang' or outside-sinning-world-related on them, and if it breaks, then we fix it. If a boy's bag breaks, they have to ask their Mom to fix it or, usually, get a new one.

And if one of us is lucky enough to have a nervous breakdown from all this religion and holiness? Go to the church and pray you will survive long enough to run away and see the real world.

I never had a best friend; no one wanted to become friends with a weirdo like me. And since I was a new girl from Boston in a special part of San Francisco where all the rich people lived in their own little safe Catholic community, I didn't know what to expect.

Okay, I think I've told you enough to understand enough of my life. Now I'll start my story.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

I looked at myself in the mirror. I twisted and turned, looking at myself at every angle. "You look very grown up, Rebecca," my mother said, sitting on a stool and watching me.

"Thank you, Mother," I said in a gentle voice. I looked at myself in the mirror again. "I'm going to be the only redhead at school," I muttered. I twisted my hair into a bun again, trying to get it to be less frizzy.

"Did you say something, dear?" Mother said.

"No, Mother," I said. I looked at myself. Long curly red hair, figure that would make an old man cry, green eyes like shiny emeralds, and long slim fingers; I was going to need somebody to do crowd control. The only thing that wasn't attractive was my height; I was puny, about 5'1. I tried to see myself petite, as others did, but I kept thinking about my frizzy hair.

"All right dear, please get ready and your father will drop you off," Mother said, getting up and putting my books in the bag. I pulled my jacket on and pulled the bag over my head, grabbing my suitcase. I kissed her good-bye and went outside to the grandpa car where my Father was waiting.

The drive to school was silent. Father never talked when he was driving; he didn't even listen to the radio. He just drove, leaving me to stare out the window. I kept nervously fixing my skirt and smoothing out the creases.

"Bye, Father." I said when we got to the school. "I'll see you on the holidays," I said, kissing him on the cheek. I got out of the car slowly, waiting for him to answer back.

"Don't forget to pray every night and read the Bible on Sundays. Listen to what the Sisters say," he ordered, staring straight ahead. I waited, but he didn't say anything else. I slammed the door shut and walked off in the direction of the office, my suitcase rolling along behind me.

People were staring at me. Might've been my hair, or my eyes, or my body, or just the fact that they never saw me before. Whatever it was, I wished they'd stop. Some wise-guy decided to hit my shoulder as he passed, making my bag slide off my shoulder.

"Watch where you're going, bitch," he shot at me.

"What, you can't see me?" I yelled back. "Friggin' red hair is pretty damn hard to miss, right? Asshole," I muttered as I bent over to get my bag. My father had made my day go from nervous first day to PO'd at everyone.

The lady in the office was helpful enough to give me a schedule, map, and a Leadership kid to show me all the classes before school started. My guide, Robyn, had long wavy black hair and brown eyes the color of chocolate. She was taller than me, but only by an inch, thankfully.

"Where'd you move from?" she asked. I liked her; she didn't ask if I moved here. Duh.

"Boston," I said. "Went to a public school, my parents decided it was too 'sinful' and moved to a less sinful place, all the way on the other coast."

"Damn. Yeah, I guess pretty much everyone's parents are religious saints. You ever count how many times they pray in a month?"

I scoffed and grinned. "No; did you?"

She grinned back. "No, and I'm not going to try. Will they let you wear pants, or just skirts? My parents won't let me wear any skinny jeans, which are fine with me, but I'm glad that boot-cut is allowed with them."

"Okay, I need to go over to your house and borrow some, because my parents say that I can wear jeans when I can buy them. As soon as I can start working, I'm saving my money to buy jeans, any kind. They only let me wear sweat pants and shorts when I'm running, or after I swim. Your parents make you wear one of those old-fashioned swimsuits with the—"

"Pants part that goes down to your thighs," Robyn was nodding. "God, I cannot wait to wear a bikini."

"Oh, yeah, I bet the guys can't wait either," I said. We were passing mostly Asian or white kids at the school, and Robyn was Hispanic; you know, a diamond in the rough thing.

Robyn snorted out a laugh, which sounded weird. It was like, she snorted, but it turned into a laugh. The sound made me laugh more, so Robyn laughed too, and people were staring at us like we were insane.

We went to all my classes and locker, talking about our names and parents, when Robyn checked my information papers for my dorm. "You're in the same grade as me, and all the eleventh graders are on the same level. We have small separate rooms, and I think there're about 50 or so rooms on a floor. Oh," she stopped with her hand on the doorknob. "I think I should give you a little warning about the other girls. You never went to a boarding school before, right?"

I shook my head.

"But you did go to a religious one, right?"

I shook my head again. "Why?" I asked.

"Uh, the girls are divided into two main groups: there are the Religious, who actually pray and think saintly thoughts all the time like the sisters tell us to, and then there's the…we call them Royalty, but it's not really as a compliment when we're not talking to their face. They're spoiled, raise their skirts, at dances are the ones making out under the stairs; things like that."

"Where do you fit in?" I asked.

"Nowhere. I only have two other good friends at the moment, other than you, and one doesn't go to this school and he's a guy…sorta."

"How can you sorta be a guy?" I asked. I went to a public school and everything, but I lived all the way on the east coast and wasn't used to the easy casualty of the Californians.

"I'll explain later." Robyn said as she opened the door. "Welcome to your new home."

I walked in, and was met by around, oh, only twenty pairs of eyes staring at me. I glanced at Robyn, and she inconspicuously moved her head a little in their direction with her eyebrows raised as if to say _That would be the Royalty_.

"Hello, my fellow classmates, God be with you," Robyn said, letting go of the door and stepping forward. There were giggles and eyes rolling. "This is our new student, Rebecca Park, but I've just learned her nickname is Rusty." I looked at Robyn out of the corner of my eye. I didn't say that. "She's from Boston, and she'll be with us in our classes and dorm," Robyn continued.

One of the girls in the center of the huddle got up and walked over to me. She was tall, very tall, and had perfect straight blonde hair with the side bang in front of her blue eyes. She had make-up on since no teachers were around, and her blood-red nails were a perfect length. She made the uniform look good, not like on me, where I was too short.

"Hi," she said, chewing gum, with a bored look in her eyes. "I'm Kendall Maybells, Head Cheerleader, President of the Leadership class, Leader for the Girls' Study Prayer Group, first place winner for the Study Buddies for the last five years and future-Prom-Queen." She looked me up and down. She shook her side bang out of her eyes and said with a flashing smile, "Welcome to San Francisco's St. Katharina."

She left me standing there like an idiot. "Hi," I said, my throat suddenly hoarse. Kendall gave me a funny look. It was like _You're a loser. Just a little Goody-goody; you probably made it up about Boston and are probably from some country town in the middle of nowhere._

"Come on, I'll show you the rooms." Robyn said. "Before there's a catfight," she muttered to me. She led me past the Royalty into the hallway. Whispers were left in our wake.

"Are they always like that?" I said quietly.

Robyn stopped and thought for a minute. "Uh-huh," she said, nodding. "Not to seem random or anything, but you're in this room," she said, pointing to the room at the very end.

"Robyn, why'd you make up a nickname for me?" I said.

"I'm over here, five doors down." She unlocked my door and opened the door to reveal a small mattress, sink, closet, and window. "You're lucky and have a room with a view. I'm staring at just plain white wall in my room."

"Robyn," I said.

"I don't know, it just seemed to fit your personality. Is it okay?"

I shrugged. "I just, you know...never had a nickname before," I said.

"That would be because you've never been with me before," Robyn grinned. I couldn't help but smile back.

Robyn helped me put my clothes away, and make the bed. The school sheets were on the bed; the color for the mattress cover was white, a white pillow case, and three blue wool blankets.

"It can get really cold here, with the fog and everything," Robyn told me. "Since it's only October you'll probably only need two blankets. Now let's go meet Aurora."

"Who?" I asked as I followed Robyn through the hall and out the door.

"Aurora. She's the other friend I told you about. She's probably with her brothers in their dorm," Robyn said as she went down the stairs.

"We're allowed in boys' dorms?" I said. "Wasn't there a rule about that in the huge handbook?"

"Yeah, but Aurora's in love with one of her brother's best friends, so she sneaks in. Anyway, it's her brothers' room. It's not like they'll do anything but talk. Oh, yeah, guys have to share a room since there're more boys in the school than girls. You can't even walk from the bed to the window in most of the rooms."

"And how would you have this knowledge, dear Robyn?" I said, grinning.

She grinned back and said, "I had to give a book to one of the cute boys from the office once and got a peek around the room."

"Right, after you stole it," I said, grinning wider.

"I didn't do it on purpose," Robyn said, with pretend offense. "Not really. Oh, do you know that the guys have blue wallpaper?"

"Really? Why're we stuck with plain old boring white, then?" I said.

"'Cause we're girls and of course get the plainer things while guys get the more entertaining ones. Guys get everything better here," she said. "I heard that the boys' locker room is brand new, but smells like shit because it's the boys' locker room."

"Where'd you learn that; Kendall?" I said. Robyn scoffed.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

After we went down the stairs, up the hall, and up another pair of stairs that we didn't even need to go up because the door to the girls' dorm was just down the hall with a right turn to the boys', (Robyn grinned and said she wanted the exercise) Robyn opened a door to what looked like an office. It was small, had a desk, chair, small table with a plant on it, radio that played classical music, and a man sitting in the chair. Robyn showed a red slip of paper to the man, who had a nametag that said Peter. He motioned for her to go in, without saying a word. When we were going up yet another flight of stairs, I asked, "What was with the paper?"

"It gives me permission to be in the boys' dorm; says I need to pick up a guy and tell him I'm pregnant with his baby," Robyn said casually.

"And he let you go without ordering you to get down on your knees and start praying for the soul of your bastard baby?" I said sarcastically. There was no way Robyn would be a teenage mother, I was sure of it even though I just met her.

"Hey, I've got some friends from my other schools that were so-called 'bastards'," Robyn said. "Anyway, it's the mother's fault, not the baby's. She shouldn't be doing those kinds of things; the father isn't exactly an angel, either, though." Robyn opened the door to the boys' dorm.

"Whoa. You were right," I said. The dorm was a mess, with books, backpacks, magazines, and all kinds of sports balls lying around. Robyn led the way, carefully going through. She went to the first door and knocked on it.

"Justin? Jamie?" Robyn said as she knocked on the door. The door opened to reveal an Asian teen. "Is Aurora there, Justin?"

"Duh. If Jesse's here, she comes in the door a second after him." Justin said. He turned around and said, "Aurora, your date's here!"

"No, her date's already in there," Robyn muttered. Aurora stepped out, and slammed the door in Justin's face, rolling her eyes. "What's up, Aurrie?" Robyn said.

"Anything but my brothers," she replied, sighing. "Oh. Hi, I'm Aurora," she said to me. No '_who are you?'_ or awkward silence. Just a simple introduction—immediately I liked her.

"I'm Rusty," I said. She smiled, and so did Robyn.

"Awesome nickname. Let's go, before the Father catches us and makes us pray all day long." She led the way through to the door, and we went out. Aurora was Asian, with smooth black hair in a bun with hair sticking out in a messy-stylish way, dark tan skin, and small, dark purple-rimmed glasses. She was the same height as me, poor girl, but she had the advantage of actually being petite.

We were sitting down in the girls' dorm when I heard a loud, deep church bell ring. "What's that?" I asked.

"That's the school bell. Grab your bag and follow us, Rusty," Aurora said. I grabbed the blue bag and my jacket and followed them as I pulled my arms through the sleeves.

"Our first class is French. Some guys went in just to impress the girls, but you know, it won't work with me," Robyn said. I liked the way that she talked; first casual, then a whisper, and then a tough mutter as she looked away with raised eyebrows and her hands moving to express the words.

"But we go to the chapel before school Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays to listen to Father Martin preach and give us weekly news on Mondays. We'll have to go again tomorrow, and then have Saturday to do what we want, within limits, of course—like no bungee-jumping off the top of the church—and Sunday morning we need to go to church. We pray at breakfast and before bed, but lunch and dinner are less formal. Sometimes students are asked to say grace at breakfast, but usually Sister Lauren does it," Aurora informed me. Aurora seemed strong, but was skinny, unlike Robyn, whose muscles showed on her arms and legs.

"Hey, could you guys tell me people you know so I'm not totally clueless?" I asked.

"Sure," Robyn said. "That Asian guy with the gelled hair is Jesse, Aurora's love." Aurora shushed Robyn and glanced nervously at her wonder boy. I grinned and patted her shoulder consolingly. "That thing trying to flirt with him is a creature called Sierra Orchard, but its common name is Tiki. We had a rather...let's just say, _unpleasant_ experience with her and have been enemies since. You know what, accidentally push her as you pass by."

"Yeah, I'd rather not," I said. What the heck did Tiki do?

"Okay, I'll do it," Robyn said, shoving her elbow into Tiki as she passed. "Sorry," she muttered roughly to Tiki, barely even looked at her. "Simple, elegant, classic," she said to me.

We went to the French class, where there were mostly girls, except for about a handful of boys sitting in a group in the back. Robyn, of course, went past the Royalty sitting in the front, and went all the way to the back where she sat down next to a Chinese boy, who had a small tuft of hair sticking up in the front.

"What's up, Nathaniel?" she said. She looked up at us. "Come on, sit down. Don't worry, they won't bite or be mean. They may share rather...unwanted news with you, though."

"Like what?" I said, sitting down.

"I have to fart," Nathaniel muttered to Robyn. Robyn held her hand out to him like the women in TV shows that just stand next to the prizes.

French class was a little awkward at first, since the teacher whose name I forgot made me come up and introduce myself. More than half the class was Royalty, and the Religious weren't exactly nice to me either when they learned that I was from a big city like Boston.

Great, I thought; one group thinks I'm lying and I'm a goody-goody, and the other group thinks I'm full of sins. I was grateful to sit back in my seat and draw on a piece of binder paper, since the teacher said that I wouldn't have to start until tomorrow. I drew a picture of Quasimodo in the bell tower, which I thought was very fitting.

After French class was a blur, because between the glares from the Religious and the sneers from Royalty and the things that Robyn muttered to them and the responses, I was still trying to memorize all the names of the teachers and my classmates. When we finally went to get some dinner, my head felt like someone had taken a fork and whisked my brain. One of Kendall's millions of BFFs, Olivia, who had wide blue eyes and light brown hair I was starting to recognize, bumped my shoulder. My bag fell to the floor, and the binders and books fell out onto the floor.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Let me help," she said, her voice getting soft and apologetic. I let her bend over on her knees and pick up the books, but Robyn didn't. She grabbed Olivia's shoulder, pulled her up, and pushed her away.

"You're not sorry," Robyn said. She bent over next to Aurora and helped me put my books away. "Don't let her do that again, or anyone else."

We headed to a table at the back, near the end. There were tables scattered around that seated four or five, and in the middle was a long one that seated around twenty or twenty-five. That's where Kendall sat, and all the other popular kids. We were allowed to sit with boys, but they had to be sitting opposite us, so there wasn't any messing around under the table. There still would be, but at least the Brothers and Sisters would be comforted to know that no one was groping around. (Robyn told me this, in the same way. It's her words, not mine.)

There was a counter that had a line of food, like at Fresh Choice. Plates were at the table as well as silverware and glasses, so we just had to get up and pick the food. I learned that Robyn and Aurora waited until most people were done picking food to get ours to avoid anyone accidentally throwing our tray out of our hands or something like that.

The dinner was simple, with rice, chicken, and beans. No ketchup or unhealthy food at all—it was organic food and the beans were grown at the school. Robyn also got some bread rolls from a small basket at the end, still hot. Some dainty perfect frou-frou girls like Kendall had measly salads that looked like they were five entire leaves dug out of the compost pile, because they were so worried about gaining an ounce of extra fat and immediately not be attractive to the boys, but that didn't make any sense to me. What's the use of eating food like that when we can have such delicious food instead?

After dinner, we went to the office, where Aurora asked if it was okay for us to go to the city tomorrow. Robyn would've asked, but she had gotten into some trouble with the aid, so Aurora was chosen to do it so we'd actually have some hope.

"What part will you be going to?" the aid asked, chewing gum like a bored cow.

"Just the piers," said Aurora. "We want to go see the ships and sea lions with Rust—I mean, Rebecca, and show her around a little." She changed it to my formal name because I gave her a nudge with my elbow. I didn't want everyone to call me by that, only my friends.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," the aid, Kayla, said in between chewing loudly.

Robyn rolled her eyes as she exhaled loudly and said, "Do you have to chew with your mouth wide open?"

"Why're you looking at my mouth?" Kayla demanded, suddenly wide awake.

"I can't really help it because you're so damn loud," Robyn said.

"I am not loud!" Kayla said, blinking her heavily mascara covered eyes.

"Uh-huh; then what are you right now?" Robyn said. Suddenly the door opened and a tall, skinny boy with long hair walked in.

"Kayla, I just got something in the mail for us," he said, waving a package. "Wanna go try it out?"

"Sure, Cash!" Kayla said perkily, jumping up from the table. She shoved past Robyn and me, and they were gone in two seconds.

Robyn shuddered. "Ugh!"

"Who was that?" I asked Aurora.

"That was Kayla's on-again-off-again boyfriend, Christian Cash. When they're out of here, she'll be his pimp," Aurora said. "She used to be so nice, but now all she cares about is making out with a guy two years older than her and getting piercings and tattoos."

"It's horrible," Robyn said. "Most of the friends we had in elementary school slowly drifted away in middle school. By the time we graduated, we were branded with the invisible mark of outcasts."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

"Hurry up, Rusty!" Robyn yelled. I grabbed my jacket and pulled it on as I ran down the stairs. I passed Kendall, who was holding a pair of keys as she was yelling at her cronies to hurry up. Were those car keys? Hers? Who cares? Not me.

I caught up with Robyn and Aurora in front of the school. I was wearing a borrowed pair of jeans from Robyn, since Aurora had a thinner waist than me. My jacket was still the school's, and so was my blouse, but I was wearing jeans! Oh, and flat Converse!

"Okay, we'll be out for the whole day," Robyn told me after we got past the gate. "So in addition to seeing the sea lions and the rest of Pier 39, we're catching a bus and meeting Nigel."

"Who?" I said. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Robyn laughed. "Hell no. He's the other friend I told you about. You'll see when you meet him why it's funny his last name is Irons."

We went down to the pier and walked around, saw the sea lions, ate Polish hotdogs, and went into the small shops, including Robyn's favorite, Lefty's, a shop dedicated to left-handed people. Robyn's cell phone rang as we were eating ice cream, and she answered it. After she had a quick conversation, mostly in Spanish or some other language, she hung up and said, "Time to go see Nigel. He's at the SFBS."

"San Francisco Bull Sh…?" I said quietly. Nigel was probably really tough and hangs out at a rodeo place or something. No, it might be for motorcycles.

We went on a bus and rode up to the hills, where there were more houses and schools and less shops. "Here's the stop," Robyn said as she stepped off. We followed her into a building. On the door in cursive letters it read: San Francisco Ballet School.

"What're we doing here? Or is Nigel a nickname like Rusty?" I said. That was about the only conclusion I reached.

"No, no, this is the sorta-guy friend," Robyn said. "Nigel!"

I only saw teenage girls our age twirling around on their tip toes. There was no boy anywhere. "Nigel! NIGEL! Get you're a—" the lady at the desk at the entrance looked at us over her glasses. Robyn cleared her throat and muttered something in Spanish.

"I'm coming!" a guy's voice said. It was kind of high, but hey, not every guy is a football jock. But I still didn't see a guy, just a bunch of pink tutus. When one came near us, I realized how Nigel was a sorta-guy.

He was tall, gangly, thin, pale, had floppy-ish black hair, dark green eyes, and an impish grin on his face. On his head was a wreath of daisies and around his waist was a pink tutu. He even had a pink ribbon tied in his hair, making a small fountain on top of his head.

"Hello," he said, holding his hand out. "I'm Nigel."

I shook his hand and told him my name, and then grabbed Robyn and dragged her out of hearing distance. "Robyn! Why didn't you tell me?"

Robyn's face changed. "Why, you have something against him?" She was mad. But more than that, she was scary. She looked ready to punch my ass to a pulp if I said yes.

"No, it's not that, it's just….he's gay!" I said.

"Really? Hey Nigel, she just—" I stopped her and said, "No, I mean, what if Kendall or some Royalty found out? The school doesn't think the best about gays, right? Don't they think that homosexuality is a sin? Robyn, if they see us with him, we could get kicked out of school."

Robyn nodded thoughtfully. I prayed that she wouldn't kick me in the stomach. She took a deep breath, looked at me with a grim expression, (oh sh—), but then she smiled and shrugged. She made a sound like "tcha" and said, "Forget about the school. All their religious sins can go to Hell, 'cause I'm not leaving my buddy. Now, if you are worried about getting seen, then there's the door and the school is at the top of the next hill. Are you gonna stay or go?"

"Stay," I said.

And I did. And I learned that here in California, dear California, there were a lot of gay people. A lot lived in San Francisco in the Castro District, and Robyn told me that they were going on about Prop. 8 and getting their own rights.

"But you know how some people are," she said. "They act like it's a contagious disease to be gay. Or some other people, like that damn Taylor Swift, "_If you come back here, I'll say that you're gay. And by the way; I hate that stupid old pick-up truck...whine..."_Robyn said in a high whiny voice.

"I hate that song," Nigel said.

"Me too. She's trying to copy Carrie Underwood and making a horrible disgrace to country music. I mean—," Aurora said.

"Whoa, Aurora, cool down," I said. "Nigel, isn't that tutu a rental?"

He blushed and looked the lady at the desk. She was standing up, leaning over and holding her hand out. He grinned sheepishly and took it off, handing it to her.

"Hurry up, hurry up!" Aurora squealed, running at full speed. I slid on the sidewalk, stumbling in the wet. Robyn caught me before I landed flat on my face—ow—and we ran, her holding one of my hands, Aurora holding my other, all of us linked together so we wouldn't fall.

"Does it always start spontaneously raining?" I said as I running up the hill. Well, more like being dragged by Robyn while Aurora slipped.

"Uh...no, I don't think so. Usually it's just foggy and cold," Robyn said. She helped Aurora climb up and then she made a bee-line for the bus stop. I shivered and shook my wet hair. Robyn took off her jacket, revealing a black blouse.

"Can you wear that at school?" I said, pulling my hair out of its bun.

Robyn shook her head. "No. It's fitted and kind of tight, so even though Kendall and Olivia and Kayla get away with pulling their blouses tight in the back, you know, like that," Robyn said, grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulling it together in the back and twisting it to make it stay, "the dear teachers don't notice that. Oh no, they'll only see that Hispanic girl from the small town wearing her black blouse."

I started. "What? The school's not...not, uh, racist, is it?" God, they've got everything in California!

"No," Robyn said. Then she paused and said, "At least I don't think so. No, what I meant was they ignore the things that the rich girls do because they always pay the money for the school on time. My family...well, we're not rich."

"Oh." I said. I peeked at Robyn in the corner of my eye. She was standing tall, strong, her full 5 feet 2 inches with pride. Well, short to you, tall to me. There was an awkward silence as we waited for the bus.

It was broken by Aurora's phone. We all jumped and Aurora dug around in her purse for it. She pulled it out and looked at the number. She glanced at us, then at the phone. Then she shoved it back in her bag after pressing the off button.

After a moment, I asked, "Who was that?"

She looked out at the hill. "It was Kendall."

"What?" Robyn and I said at the same time. "Who gave her your number?" Robyn demanded.

"I did."

There was a REALLY intelligent "Huh?" from me.

"It was last year," Aurora confessed, "when she was still nice...-ish to me. She and I were doing a project together for homework and I never went on my email so we exchanged phone numbers. She never called me, but now I guess she wants something from me.

"Can I see your phone?" Robyn said, holding her hand out.

"Don't break it!" Aurora said, clutching it in her hand away from Robyn.

"I'm not going to break it," Robyn sighed. "I promise, no breaking or accidental smashing or squishing." Aurora cautiously handed it over to her. "Thank you." Robyn pressed a few buttons, and then handed it back.

"What'd you do?" I asked, feeling a little out of the loop.

"I deleted Kendall's number. If she calls you again, then it won't have caller ID, and you have the right to demand who the hell it is and to tell her to shove whatever she needs u—"

"The bus is here!" Aurora said. Robyn made a loud sigh and we got on.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

"Hey, Robyn," I whispered. "Robyn!"

"What?" she hissed back.

"I am going to very inconspicuously tell you something. But not now, because I am being watched by someone. I forgot his name."

"What's he look like?"

"Curly black hair, big eyes, glasses, long eyelashes, dark tan skin, looks kind of nerdy..."

Robyn's head jerked up. Her head spun around, and she saw the guy. I don't know what she did, but it freaked him out so he looked down. She glared at him for another minute, making sure his eyes stayed down. Then she looked at me, glancing at the librarian.

"His name is Alex Funchess. Royalty used to call him Funchi or Funchess, but now he's Alex again I think; but in my opinion he is, like you said, a nerd. And not a good one," she added. I grinned slightly. I learned that her and some of her friends were nerds (people that are just too smart for the comfort of certain assholes, hence the name-calling because the assholes need to feel powerful). "Why he was staring at you, I have no idea, because the guy already has a damn girlfriend, Amanda, who's a part of the Royalty, of course. His dad works at Apple, so naturally he's rich and has millions of electronic crap like the laptop, new flip phone, iPhone, iPod, iPad, all that iShit. What did you want to tell me?"

"Uh...oh yeah, are you going anywhere for Christmas break?" I said, dropping my voice because the librarian started making her rounds around the library to make sure people were doing their work.

"Yeah; my family always gets together for Christmas. What 'bout you, going back to old minister father and angel mother?" she said, grinning. Her grin melted away as she saw my face. "Y-you're not going back home, are you?"

I shook my head. "My dad wants me to get my grades up and to not be distracted by unimportant things." The bell rang and I angrily slammed my book shut. "The moron wants me to grow up to be a nun! As soon as I'm done with studying in college in theology and God, he wants me to join a convent and be a nun!" My voice was rising, and I felt my cheeks burn as Funchessie and everyone else in the library looked at me. I grabbed my things and ran to the door.

Out in the hallway, I felt a hand on my arm. I turned, expecting Robyn, but it was Funchessie. "Hi. I, uh, I was wondering..."

"Wonder later, Funcheesie!" Robyn's strong voice said as she came up from behind him and pushed him away from me with her elbow. He looked at me with a pathetic expression on his face. I looked back with a cold stare. He quickly looked away, retreating to a tall black girl with short curly hair.

"Who's she?" I asked Robyn, looking over at them. They quickly rounded a corner and were out of sight. "Is she his girlfriend?"

"Nope, that's Angela. I don't know what's going on with them; I think we need to ask a resource. Come on, let's go before dinner," she said, and ran up the stairs. She turned so many times I lost track, and then before I knew what was happening, she was opening the door to the boys' dormitory.

"Robyn! No one's going to be in there!" I said, following her. Peter the classical-music listening guard, wasn't there, so Robyn went right through. I was wrong—everyone that was someone was there. In other words, all the Assholes.

"Hey, Crow, what're you doing here?" Herman said. The guys thought it was funny to call her Crow since she had name like a bird. He was one of those guys on the baseball team, and a towering 6 foot 2 of idiot.

"Shut up and let me through," she said, trying to get past him and his buddies. She didn't even reach their shoulders, and they knew she couldn't do anything. "Let me through."

Herman chuckled...no, actually, the idiot giggled. "Shut up and let me through," he mimicked her.

Robyn stopped and looked at him. While her attention was at him, being used to glare at him with a look that could kill, a guy snuck up next to her and used the cover of a book to lift the back of her skirt.

"Robyn!" I said, and grabbed the book from the guy. I held it in both hands over his head, ready to smack him. He was prepared for the blow, his eyes shut, and I slammed the book down. It hit the table next to him with a crack like thunder.

"Come on, Robyn. Let's just go." I said. Robyn followed me to the door.

"That's right, keep walking! I'm a ho, I'm a bitch, I'm a fucking—"

Robyn and I spun around at the same time. The boy that I threatened with the book, Alfred Josephson, was standing on top of the table, singing in a high pitched voice. He was making really perverted movements, and the other boys were laughing.

"Hey, Josephson," Robyn said, her voice low and hard, "shut up or your voice'll stay like that."

The boys started bellowing out, laughing at us. Robyn put her bag down on the floor. She headed for the table, which could seat two on each of the long sides.

"Hey, what'cha gonna do?" Josephson said. He knew. He knew we were short, that his friends were the toughest boys in the entire school, and he was making her mad on purpose. "Shut up and let me through. Through where?"

Robyn stood there, and then glanced at the door, where I stood. Her eyes were hard, and she moved her chin up a little, her eyes a little wider. I looked behind me and opened the door. Robyn turned back to Josephson. He was being such an asshole, I was amazed Robyn could hold herself from killing him.

Suddenly there was a screech of the table legs sliding across the floor, and then the table collapsed on its side. Josephson fell to the floor with a thud, Robyn let go of the table and jumped over. Landing with her feet on either side of him, she used the momentum of flying over, and thrust her fist out fast and hard. Then she jumped over the table and headed for the door, head high and shoulders back. Josephson was screaming after her, and then he made a big gasp. Then there were a couple squeaks of a sneaker and Robyn quickly went outside and shut the door. We ran down the stairs, and when we reached the bottom, Robyn grabbed my arm and we walked casually past the main office. When we were past, I glanced back and saw no one. Good.

"What'd you do that made him gasp like that?" I said, my heart pounding from the adrenaline.

"Flipped 'im off," Robyn said coolly. I laughed and gave her a high five.

"Oh, wait, didn't we need to go to a resource?" I said, stopping and looking back up the stairs. The boys could be heard yelling around and laughing.

"Forget it," Robyn said, leading me down the last few steps by my arm. "Funcheesie isn't worth us getting detention, right?"

As we were walking to dinner, I noticed there were posters all along the walls in big, round writing, the kind that all of the Royalty had. I stopped in front of one and tried to decipher what it said.

Winter Wonderland Ball!

January 24, Friday

6-11 PM

"A ball?" I said in disbelief.

"Oh, yeah," Robyn said, walking backwards to come next to me. "I forgot about that. Every year they have this big dance that the teachers are supposed to be chaperoning but never do because they're having their own party and pass out from the wine—amateurs," she muttered.

"So...it's like a dance?" I said.

"It is a dance; they just needed it to match winter so they put 'wonderland ball'. Last year it was something like... Frostbite Frenzy." She chuckled. "The teachers actually tried not to pass out as soon, because Kendall's older sister was in charge of organizing it."

"Kendall has an older sister? Jeez, how many are there?" I said.

"Too many." A bell rang. "Come on, let's go eat before we get detention and have to go pray for three hours for being all alone in the boys' side of the school."

I continued the conversation as we headed to the dining room. "So, you go to these?"

"Usually, no." She let out a sigh. "See, the Royalty is in control of the dances, so you know what they'll do—hire DJs and have flashing lights and the crap they call music is up so loud that the whole building shakes. It's boring and you don't do anything but walk around, stuff yourself, and jump up and down, so I don't go."

I nodded. I got that.

"Plus, these kinds of dances—excuse me, _balls_," she said as we passed a couple of Royalty. She rolled her eyes and made a face at their backs before continuing, "You need a date to get in, otherwise you are marked as a loser and thus an enemy of Royalty—they'll make up whatever shit they need to for you not to go in. But, I mean, I'd rather stay with my bro and Nigel the entire weekend than go to one dance."

But I saw her face when we passed Nathaniel. Hmm.

"I have way too many boys after me."

"_You_ have too many? Excuse me, we go to a school where most of the girls are—

"Completely beautiful!" Aurora exploded.

"—little bitches." Aurora and I looked at Robyn. She shrugged. "I speak the truth."

We were in the dorm, it was Saturday, and it looked like the sky was going through a teenage sulk. Most of the Royalty was in there with us, but we had our little corner and we were seriously trying to get some homework done, but somehow we would always wind up talking.

Suddenly, there was a big boom outside. Some girls cowered together, squealing, "Thunder!" It was a little sad, considering they were around fourteen or fifteen.

"It's a motorcycle!" Robyn bellowed. "God; so pathetic!"

All the girls crowded to the window now that the fear of thunder was gone and there was a 99.99% chance there was a hot guy in a motorcycle come to take them away, like in Love Story or another of Taylor Swift or Hannah Montana's unrealistic songs. There were squeals, but I stayed silent and stared.

There was a teen that had on a black jacket, jeans, and black boots. His black hair was whipped around his face and black sunglasses. And he rode the motorcycle, (a 2009 Black GSX R 600), with utter coolness, like ice.

"He's so hot!" Kendall said. All the other girls agreed, and then they started arguing over him. For the one time in my life, I agreed with Kendall. "Isn't he, like, so hot?" she repeated.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Robyn said as she grabbed her bag, and then ran for the door.

"Where're you going?" Olivia yelled.

"I'm goin' with him," she said with a nod towards the stairs. "Come on, Rusty."

I grinned and kept quiet as I followed her. By the time we reached the door, Kendall and about half the Royalty was following her, trying to get Robyn to remember all the times they were friends, which must've been on another planet, or maybe even another universe.

Robyn's buddy was surrounded by all the girls, them sounding like seagulls and talking all at once. Kendall shut them all up and said, "I'm Kendall," in her most charming way. She looked like all those girls in movies; you know, the typical teenage girl. She had straight hair that wasn't messed up, skinny jeans, a white jacket, a white and grey plaid scarf, and flat shoes, all delicate. I suddenly felt like I should shrink and crawl away. Robyn's buddy talked to the other girls and I slowly backed away.

Then Robyn's buddy had to turn away to professionally kill the engine, and Robyn came up behind me, muttering about the bitches and assholes and that we were supposed to be gone already.

"Rudy!" She said, stopping in the middle of the circle. I shrank behind Kendall.

"Hey Gorgeous," he said.

Kendall giggled and smirked and said, "Hey Handsome."

"Hey, Bitch, leave my brother alone," Robyn said, shoving Kendall with her forearm. Robyn was very violent and physical, I just noticed that. "Rudy, please say that you left your car at the bottom of the hill."

Rudy suddenly wasn't so smooth and cool. He took off his sunglasses hesitantly. "Um...why?" he winced.

"Because for one thing, I only ride my own motorcycle—" I gasped mockingly as all the other girls did at the danger of riding a motorcycle, "—and secondly, I called mom and dad and they said it was fine if I brought a friend home for Christmas break. Didn't they tell you?"

Rudy ran a hand nervously through his hair. "Uh..."

"Don't feel bad, Rudy," Kendall said his name slowly, talking in a tone like she was speaking to a baby instead of a teenage boy. "You can stay here while—"

"Hey, while nothing. Get out of here. This is a private matter, got it? Go chase Danny and the other imbecilic creatures you call boys." The girls dispersed, but not before Kendall smiled dazzlingly at Rudy. She left smirking, walking in a dainty way. "_Ay_," Robyn sighed, rolling her eyes. "Okay, Rudy, just tell mom and dad that we'll take the ferry."

"Sis, that's expensive, and you're still gonna have to walk about a mile or something to get home," Rudy said.

"It's okay, we'll get—" Robyn stopped when she saw Rudy was looking up over our heads. We turned around and saw that all the girls were pressed against the window, making kissy faces and things like that to Rudy.

"Where's Sister Wendy when you need her?" Robyn said, spinning around. No one was in the courtyard. Robyn made motions that meant if they didn't get the hell away from the window, she'd glue them there. That didn't really work, so Rudy waved at them.

"Don't encourage them!" Robyn said. Rudy had moved away from the motorcycle, so she grabbed his keys and started the motorcycle.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up! Sis!" Rudy ran to get in front of the motorcycle and grab the handlebars and take the keys out. "Okay. What were you saying?"

"Me and Rusty'll get some money from Nigel." Robyn said.

"You're still seeing Nigel?" Rudy said, his face questionable. Robyn crossed her arms. "No, it's not that, it's just...didn't he move?"

Robyn made a face. "His parents moved. He's living with his brother right now."

"Oh. Right. So, I'll see you guys later?" Rudy said, climbing onto his motorcycle.

"Sure. Hey, can you get some movies on the way home?" Robyn said, shouldering her gym bag. For an answer Rudy grinned and put on his sunglasses. He looked like a young version of Enrique Iglesias. No wonder all the girls were in love with him...myself included. He revved his motorcycle and zoomed down the hill.

"So...I'm guessing you're the older one between you two, right?" I said as we climbed down the hill. How in the world did Aurora make it down this hill in heels? I could barely make it down in flat sneakers.

Robyn scoffed. "Yeah. Well, sort of. Rudy was born five minutes after me."

I stopped. "You're twins?"

"Not the kind of twins that dress up with the same shirt, same expression, same everything; we're not Siamese twins, we're just the twins that were born at the same time. But yeah, we are. Hard to believe, right?"

"Yeah. I thought you were the shorter, older sister. 'Cause he was all...intimidated and everything with you."

"Oh, that wasn't me. That was you. He wouldn't like me to say this—in fact, we'll have a wrestling match at home, probably—but he likes you."

My cheeks burned as I grinned. "Really?"

"Yeah. Who do you think he was talking to when he said Hey Gorgeous? Kendall?" Robyn scoffed. "My brother is not the guy to fall for hoochies; he just gets a little side-tracked, because there are no men, there are only boys, right?" I scoffed and smiled, thinking about my dad. That was one serious boy. "Ookay, now we've got to go to Pier 39 _after_ we've got money from Nigel." Her shoulders slumped. "That means we'll have to—"

"Isn't that Nigel over there?" I said. She turned around and looked where I was pointing. A tall, gangly boy was walking, but some guys were saying things and pushing him.

"Oh, no," Robyn broke into a run, surprisingly fast for her height. She reached Nigel before me, and was saying something to the boys—probably telling them off, the bastards. They left, glaring at Robyn occasionally as she stood protectively in front of Nigel, her shoulders straight and her expression solid like a rock.

"You okay, Nigel?" I said as I reached them. "Guess I missed all the action, huh?"

Nigel smiled, the usual sarcasm and happiness missing. "Sorry, yeah. What're you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in school."

"Nigel, it's Saturday. Come on, man, you drunk?" Robyn said, playfully giving his shoulder a rough nudge. Nigel grinned a little like he used to. He seemed down. "Nigel, we're going home for the Christmas break. We need some money for the ferry, since my imbecilic brother forgot that Rusty was coming too and brought his motorcycle. Can you spare a few bucks?"

"Sure," he handed the money to Robyn. "When're you coming back?"

"Hmm...in a week. I'll be here on Christmas Eve with my family to go to the church at the school. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I think I just need some ice cream or some serious fudge; totally fudge. I'll see you later. I'll poke you on Facebook!" he grinned and walked off to the pier.

Robyn grinned, and then her smile faded. "Facebook...shit!"

"What?" I said. Was someone like Kendall bothering her on Facebook?

"Funcheesie's been begging me to ask you if you want to go to the ball with him. The guy is such a wimp!"

"He can't ask me himself? God, I had Zack come up to me on the way to math and ask me if I wanted to go out with Funchess! And then later on I had CC going on how it was so cold and cruel how I'd just said no, without any we can still be friends crap...everything has to be like it's on a TV show, doesn't it?"

Robyn nodded as she sighed. "Sadly, yeah, that's how things are. Everyone wants to be like Miranda Cosgrove or whatever the hell her name is..." Robyn angrily shook her head as she looked off at the people passing by. "So, anyway, we've got ferry money. Let's go. But hey, you get seasick?"

"No. Why?"

"I need to bring a bottle of water or something, because I do." She checked her bag and we went to the ferry dock. When we were actually on the ferry, we were allowed to walk around, so Robyn didn't look as queasy as I would've thought. But she still was kind of quiet, staring at the horizon the whole time. The ferry didn't take long, fortunately, and we got off at a small little thing that wasn't even a dock. It was just a walkway up to a sandy path that went next to the water. Rocks were along the path and went down to where the water was. There was a parking lot on the right and a little grassy field on the left.

"Welcome to Bay Farm Island, Alameda!" Robyn said.

"Kind of windy, huh?" I said as my hair was whipped around my face.

"Well, duh! This is the water! We come here sometimes and play soccer or something. We live a few blocks over there," she said, waving her hand to the road in front of us. "It's not that far, really. Come on, let's go."

Apparently, to super-athletic Robyn, not that far was considered around oh, only ten to fifteen blocks the long way. And the intersection we had to cross was pure chaos; people seemed to have the desire to run us over and keep on trying until they succeeded.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5

Robyn knocked on the door. A dog barked and she yelled, "Dumb dog, it's just me! Oh, wait," she looked at me, grinning sheepishly, "sorry. You're about to get attacked by the Chilean Rottweiler."

"A Rottweiler?" I said. Big dogs—not a fond memory with me after one my dad's dumb hunting dogs bit me when I was a little girl; I still had the slight scar on my hand. I stepped down a stair on the porch. The door opened and I shut my eyes as the jingle-jangle got louder. I felt something on my leg near my knee, and prepared for the big dog to put his paws on me.

But instead...there was this little feeling on my knee, and when I opened my eyes, a little poochie was sniffing my leg. He wagged his tail and licked my knee.

Robyn and Rudy laughing made me realize how ridiculous I must've looked. I reached down and picked up the pooch. He immediately licked my face and squirmed in my arms so he was on his back, his paws in the air and his eyes making it clear he was waiting for a tummy rub.

"Yeah, ferocious beast, right?" Robyn said. "He's just noisy and barks at everything."

"Dachsunds are very territorial and protective—just like Robyn," Rudy informed us.

"Hey, we're twins, bro; you've got that protective trait, too," Robyn said, giving him a punch on the shoulder.

"What's the other half?" I said, scratching the poochie's stomach. He licked the air in front of my face.

"Yorkshire Terrier. Come on, let's get inside," Robyn said. We went inside the house and Robyn called out, "I'm home!"

After the welcome party of her mom and dad was done, we left Rudy to the kitchen and went down the hall and to the left to Robyn's room. "Whoa," I said, stopping in the doorway. "That's your bed?"

"Uh huh. It's ancient, though. You look at the thing and it creaks," Robyn said. It was a bed, but it was around four and a half feet off the ground, supported by four wooden posts. She climbed up the ladder and shook the entire bed as she crawled to the end of the bed. "Come on," she said, waving for me to go up. I hesitantly got up, making the bed crack and creak at every time I touched it with my foot.

"Look, this is the Lincoln Middle School Marching Band from 2007 and -8. I'm right here and here," she said, pointing to her face in the posters. We looked at the posters for a little bit, finding some of the people in our classes. After many hard and intense games of BS, blackjack, and Egyptian Rats...mostly Egyptian Rats, Rudy poked his head in the door. We climbed down to the floor and played BS the rest of the time.

"Hey, Rudy?" Robyn said.

"Two fives. Huh?"

"Nigel seemed a little—BS, Rusty— down when we saw him today. You're a guy—what's a reason you'd be depressed?"

Rudy looked at Robyn for a moment, his mouth a little open. "Uh...maybe he broke up with someone? I don't know—he's gay! I like him as a good buddy, but I can't really relate."

"Could it be people were being assholes to him? Because we saw some guys that were pushing him around," I said.

"Might be that. I don't know," Rudy said, shrugging. "Sis, you're bleeding."

Robyn moved her hands so her cards weren't showing. "Maybe I can ask him if he can come over tomorrow. Oh yeah, Rusty," she said, turning to me. "Tomorrow we're going on a shopping spree for jeans, because I can't keep loaning mine—I'm running out."

I blinked, and then grinned at Robyn. "You're awesome, you know that?" I said.

"Of course I am," Robyn scoffed, looking offended. "Didn't you know all lefties are born awesome?"

"Rusty! Rusty!" Something hit me, and then I was suddenly cold. I opened one eye. Robyn held my blankets, looking at me. "Come on, get up. Time to go running."

"Huh?" I muttered. I rolled over and buried my head in my pillow. The next thing I knew, I was being shoved into the bathroom and Robyn was making me sit on the edge of the bathtub. She grabbed a plastic pitcher and turned it upside down over my head.

"Cold!" I gasped. "Cold, cold!"

"Come on, let's get dressed. You have running shorts, right?" She gave me a towel and I dried my hair as we went back to her room, my heart still thumping from the sudden change in temperatures. We passed Rudy's room, where a low growling sound was coming from behind the door.

"What's that sound?" I said.

"Rudy. He snores," Robyn said. She helped me get the right things, and then we headed for the door, Robyn looping her keys to her wrist. I glanced at the clock that was above the kitchen door and stopped. It was 6:45!

"Damn, Robyn, what time did you wake up?" I said, following her out the door.

"At 6:30," she said, closing the door behind me. God, and I'd thought that waking up at 7 in order to get breakfast every day at school would be a pain in the ass.

"You wanna take a shower first, or can I?" Robyn asked.

"I really want to take a shower," I panted. "My butt and legs are frozen, and my arms are sweating. This can't be healthy."

"Actually, this is perfect weather for long-distance runners," Robyn informed me. She looked like she wasn't breaking a sweat, while I was nearly dying. "Because," Robyn went on, "you don't get tired because there's no sun to make you feel hot, which overheats yours muscles immediately. But for sprinters and short-distance runners, it's better if they have hot weather, because they need to be ready to run right away."

"Thank you, Robyn, for my daily science lesson," I panted. She grinned and opened the door. I went in, gulped down an entire glass of cool water with her, and then stumbled to the room.

"My mom and dad are both at work," Robyn said as she took the list of chores off the table. "And Rudy's just waking up," Robyn said, peeking in his room, "the pathetic thing," she added.

"So...he really likes me?" I said quietly.

Robyn gave me a look that said, _Are we going to have to go over this again?_

"Here's your towel, and the shampoo and conditioner are on the small shelf in the shower," Robyn said, leading me to the bathroom.

After thawing, getting feeling back into my frozen legs, and washing, I opened the shower door and reached for the towel. And then, God gave me a reason to pray that night.

The door banged open and Rudy stepped in. I yelled and grabbed the towel, wrapping it around myself.

"S-S-S-sorry," Rudy stuttered, backing up.

"What's wrong?" Robyn said, running over. "Rudy, get out!" she grabbed him by the back of his hair and pulled him out, slamming the door. I heard her giving him a big-sister lecture. I stood in the shower, my hair dripping over my shoulders as I took in that Rudy just saw me...nearly naked.

But I saw Rudy without a shirt, and damn, he was working out. Despite the circumstances, I grinned as I thought of how Kendall would react if she found out.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6

"This is my first baby," Robyn said, running her hand over the hood of the black Volvo. "It's a '94, so don't say it's old, or you'll be saying I'm old."

"It's old!" Nigel called from inside the car. Roby rolled her eyes at him.

"It's awesome," I said, putting my hands on the roof of the passenger's side. Robyn gave me a thumbs-up and climbed into the driver's seat. I climbed in too, ducking out of sight just as Rudy jumped out of the front door of the house.

"Your car smells funny," Nigel complained.

"Ignore him," Robyn said loudly, turning on the engine. "The beast has awakened," she said mystically, grinning slightly.

"Can we go now?" Nigel piped. Robyn threw her arms in the air, exasperated. She hit the horn with her fist once and put the car in gear. She turned around in her seat as she backed up, and looked at Nigel before she changed the gear again. "No backseat driving like last time, Nigel. You need to wait until you can get your own license to start driving, or you can buy a video game like the one at La Val's."

He nodded. She grinned at him.

At the store, Nigel immediately headed for the men's section. "Hey, Nigel," Robyn said, grabbing him by the collar, "behave yourself, okay?"

Nigel rolled his eyes. She let go of him and we went to find some jeans. After Robyn was satisfied with getting me enough, we headed to the changing room. "Hello?" Robyn said, knocking her knuckles against one of the doors, "is anyone in there?"

"There's a dress at the bottom," I said, pointing. "Maybe a busy shopper?"

Robyn shrugged. "No one in there?" she called one more time. She opened the door and screamed, "Oh my God!" and then she said, "Nope, no one in there."

I laughed, and started to head in when we heard another door open. I turned around and saw Nigel standing in front of the three-part mirror. I clapped a hand over my mouth.

"This doesn't fit," he said, turning around. "Rusty, what's up with you?"

"Where did the outfit come from?" I said. He had on a hot pink collared shirt, and bright yellow swimming briefs. He was so incredibly skinny and pale, that he looked completely white under the vivid colors.

"I picked it out. Why?" Nigel said. Voices started to drift in from the front of the dressing room. Robyn took Nigel by the shoulder and steered him back into the stall, saying, "Nigel, some tight-a people might be bothered and call security if they see you wearing that, so go change. I'm sorry, man," she said, closing the door just as someone stepped into the dressing room. She looked up, and her face changed into the cold stone mask again. "Royalty call."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 7

"Hi Rusty, hi Robyn," Kendall said, giving us the fakest smile ever. "Why are you here?"

"The only reason to go here, shopping," Robyn said, jerking her head to the jeans draped over my arm. Kendall smiled again, and went to the stall right next to the mirror, leaving the door wide open. She started to take off her tight clothes as her two robots today, Olivia and Skylar, went to sit in the stall opposite her.

Nigel chose then to defy Robyn and whined, "I'm not listening to you!" as he came out of his stall, still in that hideous outfit. He pranced over to the mirror, stopped in front of it, and struck several poses that only female models ever did.

"Nigel, get the hell in your stall!" Robyn said. He turned, his hands on his hips and his face pouting like a toddler. "NOW."

"I can never do anything!" he said, stomping his foot. He stomped over to his stall, and slammed the door. Before he closed it, though, he decided for the grand finale to be him dragging his foot backwards on the floor like he was kicking the dust in Robyn's face.

There was a silence, broken by Kendall, because she always has to say things first. "The maniacs they let out in the streets these days," she said, her voice purposefully loud so we'd hear. Robyn and I flipped her stall off.

"Come on, let's go inside before we have to see her in her underwear," Robyn said. I opened the door to the stall in front of us, and we went in. And then we heard the commentary and fake-praise and envy and all the other crap from Olivia and Skylar.

"OMG, your hips are, like, so thin."

"That shirt makes your boobs look good."

"Your hair looks great; it's so silky and smooth."

"OMG, like, you look sooo, like, totally...HOT in those jeans. _Sexy_," Robyn said, mimicking the Royalty's voice. "You're, like, going to KILL some boys at the ball, Rusty."

"Shh! Keep it down," I said, giggling like a maniac. I looked in the direction of the Royalty, which now had gone deathly silent.

"Rusty, don't tell me to quiet down," Robyn said in her normal voice. "Hell, we should get Nigel over here. Nigel!" Robyn said, leaning out the door. I slowly went to the floor, giggling. This was the most fun I'd ever had in my life!

"Wait, wait, wait, they're leaving," Robyn said excitedly. "Oh yeah, shake that skeleton! Shake those bones! These girls don't have shit. Americans," she muttered. I collapsed in another fit of giggling. I wasn't American, so what the hell? Might as well enjoy the happiest time of my life.

"I wouldn't be laughing so hard if I were you," Olivia said, stopping by our door.

"Yeah, that's right; Rusty, something might pop out," Robyn said, giggling herself.

"No," Olivia said, rolling her eyes with disgust at us. "Kendall's getting security because you're breaking the rules." We stopped laughing. "You had two people in the stall, and you were saying put-downs."

"What?" I said angrily.

"Actually, I was complimenting Rusty," Robyn said, snootily correcting Olivia. Olivia smirked and went off to go back to the mother ship. Nigel started to come out of his stall as she passed, still wearing his outfit. Olivia shoved her shoulder so the door, which wasn't all the way open, closed and he fell back into the stall.

"Nigel!" Robyn cried. She had her hand on the door of his stall when she turned to yell after Olivia. "Hey, you know it's against the rules to leave the stall door wide open and blind people too, eh!" She grabbed a shoe from the floor and threw it at the door as Olivia slipped out. "Bitch," Robyn muttered.

"Are you in trouble?" Nigel said, emerging from the stall again.

"Nigel!" Robyn cried, swooping over to him and hugging him. "My poor little baby!"

Nigel's eyebrows went up, and his eyes darted over to me. "Kendall's getting security because we were making fun of her," I said.

"And because we were both in the stall," Robyn said in a constipated voice, leaving Nigel. She sighed angrily. "I'm gonna go and find the manager. Nigel, change your clothes." Robyn left after making sure Nigel was in the stall. I went back into the stall to try on the rest of my clothes.

"Can you believe Kendall made us leave?" Olivia's voice said. I froze and quickly pulled the pants over my butt and zipped it up. I jumped up on the small bench in my stall, just as Olivia made Skylar look to see if I was there. Skylar didn't look all the way and didn't see me. I gave a quiet sigh of relief.

"At least she told us the big secret," Skylar said, going into the stall next to me. I heard zipping, and saw a dress on the floor of her stall. I gave a quiet sigh as I figured out she was trying on dresses for the ball.

"I _know_," Olivia said, taking her annoying voice to an excited level. "I felt _so_ sorry for Amanda ever since Funchess broke up with her. He only deserves the trashiest bitch, right?" I listened more intently. What were they talking about?

"I _know_. And know Kendall can make sure they do whatever she wants because she knows that Robyn is friends with a _gay_ person," Skylar said. "What does gay mean, anyway?"

"Skylar, you're, like, fifteen, and you still don't know what it means? I bet you don't even know what me and Kendall do when we go upstairs during the balls with our boyfriends!" Olivia exclaimed. Oh, God, that's just wrong, I thought. The poor Sisters' of Saint Katharina's hopes of calling off sin by letting Kendall host the dances were in vain.

"I thought Kendall said you play games," Skylar said, the confusion coming out in her voice. I rolled my eyes. Skylar was short, like me, but she still looked and acted like she was ten; Kendall thought she was adorable, which is probably why they're such great friends.

"Of course we play games, Skylar," Olivia said. I felt like I was going to throw up.

A door at the other end of the room slammed shut. I heard footsteps, and remembered Robyn had gone to talk to the manager. "ROYALTY BITCHES, IF YOU'RE NOT OUT OF HERE IN THE NEXT FIVE SECONDS, I WILL PERSONALLY BRING YOU TO HELL MYSELF!" Robyn yelled, walking to the end of the room. I went down to the floor and looked under the door, counting to five as she walked to the stall Olivia and Skylar were in. I reached five just as she stopped. Robyn beat her fist against the door.

Skylar opened the door. "Look," she said, her high voice trying to sound ticked off. "This is a public store, where _I_ can get clothes that _I_ need, that _I _want, for the ball _I_ want to go to. Now leave me _alone_ before I call security and get _you_ kicked out, forever. And, by the way, you might think you're tough, but you're still a loser that won't be able to get a date to the ball and is still afraid to get up on the stage in drama. Here's a tip," Skylar said, leaning forward, "forget trying to be an actress. You need to be born with it, Robyn; it's a talent that you either have that makes you beautiful and popular," Skylar looked down her nose at Robyn's old jeans, faded shoes, and worn out shirt, "or you don't have, which makes you weird and ugly. Take the hint and get out of my face," Skylar said, her arms crossed, and her face waiting for Robyn to go away.

Robyn was frozen. There was neither anger nor fear, nor happiness or sadness, but just completely blank; it was scary. Skylar then got impatient or something like that, and started turning back to the stall. Bad move.

At the slight movement Robyn unfroze, and the transformation was instant. Before I could blink, Robyn had pushed Skylar's shoulder so she spun back so they were face-to-face, and then Robyn's left fist thrust forward. There was a slight crack, a millisecond of silence, and then a high-pitched scream cut through the air as Skylar's reflexes caught up with the action. She clutched at her now bleeding nose with her delicate hands, the blood flowing like Niagara Falls. She ran past Robyn, sobbing hysterically. Robyn stood with her shoulders back as she panted.

"What is wrong with you?" Olivia exclaimed, coming out of the stall. "How could you do that to poor, innocent Skylar?"

"Excuse me?" Robyn said. "Did you hear the shit she said to me?"

"She said everything that was true," Olivia said, crossing her arms. "You are weird, and a loser."

There was a rustle of clothes, and the next second Olivia let out a frantic cry, reaching up to touch her now black eye tenderly. Robyn grabbed her by the back of the neck, and shoved her toward the changing room entrance, as if she was just a little dog that had just chewed up the sofa, tinkled on the bed, and was barking her head off to a motorcyclist who was easily ticked off. As it was, Olivia's feet left the floor a couple inches because of the height of Robyn's rage. Stumbling into the door, Olivia looked back at Robyn with fear and rushed out of the door.

I stood up and cautiously opened the stall door. Robyn spun around, her face a mask of rage, and I involuntarily flinched. Seeing that it was me, Robyn unclenched her bruised fists, and walked over. She looked down, and I was worried, because I'd heard everything that Skylar had said, too. I was about to say something, but then Robyn said unexpectedly, "I've been wanting to do that for years." She looked up then, and relief filled me as she grinned.

There was a creak, and we turned to see one of the stall doors opening. Nigel peeked out. "Are they gone?" he hissed.

"No, they just went over to go—"

"Robyn!" We all turned to see Kendall walk in the door.

"Get the mother ship," I muttered. Kendall had a smirk on her face as she walked towards us that made me feel queasy.

"I know your secret," she sang.

"What secret?" Robyn barked.

"You know, your secret," Kendall sang, gleefully moving in a sort of dance that looked like it was supposed to be attractive.

"If you know the damn secret, then tell me." Robyn said. Oh no; I remembered the conversation Skylar and Olivia had had.

"No, no, no, it's a secret..." Kendall said, smirking. "I'm going to go make sure security isn't having any trouble getting to the changing rooms." She went to the door, and whispered, "Secret," one more time before she slipped through.

"What the hell is she smoking?" Robyn muttered.

"Robyn," I said, and told her about Kendall's plan. Nigel went out of his stall and had his in-put on the news, as well, since he didn't want to feel 'out of the loop', as he put it.

"So they're planning on you going out with Funcheesie?" Robyn said. I nodded. She pursed her lips, and then her face changed. "I've got a plan—no, forget that, I've had a revelation! Nigel," he looked skeptically at her, "I'm going to need you."

"Right in here, Security," Kendall's voice drifted in.

"Shit!" I said.

"Quick, get in the stall!" Robyn said, shoving us in the stall behind me. "Rusty, get on the bench." I jumped on the bench, which wouldn't be seen if someone opened the door. "Nigel," Robyn quickly told him her revelation. I stifled a laugh.

"No!" was his response. "Yes!" Robyn said.

"No!" Nigel said stubbornly.

"Yes, Nigel!" Robyn said, slapping him. "Look, you want to be banned from your favorite store?"

Nigel looked down. "No," he said sullenly.

"Okay. If you do this for me, I'll do whatever you want," Robyn said.

Nigel's head perked up. "Even get me a chance with that cute—"

"Yes, anything! Now shut up and do as I say," Robyn said, taking off her shirt and threw it on the ground, her top now only covered by her dark blue sports bra. She took out her ponytail, wrapped her arms around Nigel's neck and her legs around his waist. She moved his hand to the back of her head and the other to her waist, and put her mouth on his to make the best and worst kiss ever just as the door burst open.

There are some things in life that may seem so intense and funny at the same time, but then something else happens that makes the first thing seem like nothing. Say at the store that day.

The look on Kendall's face—priceless! She could've caught whales in her mouth!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8

"Puh! Peh! Pthb! YUCK! Puh, puh, puh, puh! Nasty son of a—eugh!"

Robyn sighed. "Nigel, I think your mouth is clean now," she called. "You've been doing this for an hour."

"Yeah, well, you didn't have to use your tongue!" he said from the bathroom across the hall, rinsing his mouth out for the hundredth time, and then rubbing his tongue with a damp towel. Robyn sucked in her lips and looked up and the ceiling.

"It had to be convincing," I said to the bathroom. The response was a vomiting sound.

"What, let me get this straight," Rudy said. "The first boy you've ever kissed...was Nigel?"

"Rudy, how many times are you going to say it?" Robyn sighed. "Yes, the first kiss I've ever had was with a gay boy, Nigel. At least I didn't make out with the entire school like Kendall and the rest of Royalty, okay?"

Nigel walked in, his tongue hanging out like a dog's. "D'you hab any moudwadh?"

Robyn threw a bottle to him that she'd been tossing from hand to hand. He took off the cap and daintily poured mouthwash up to the brim of the cap, and then drank it like a shot. He swished it around in his mouth as he went to sit on Robyn's desk.

"So...does Kendall still think Nigel's gay?" Rudy said.

Nigel spit the mouthwash out into the sink and then said, "Better not! I better get something good out of this!"

"Yeah, I really doubt it," I said. "I mean, Kendall's face was just pure shock."

"So...does this mean you won't have to go with Funcheesie?" Rudy said. I blinked. Suddenly I felt like I should've been moving, like I needed to move and run.

"Uh, I guess so," I said. "W-"

"I'm hungry," Robyn suddenly declared. "Nigel, I need help making a sandwich."

"But I'm not done with my mouthwash," Nigel said. Robyn clicked her tongue and grabbed his sleeve, dragging him out.

"We'll be back in a minute," Robyn said, closing the door.

"I'll be back in time for dinner, Mom!" Rudy yelled, running out the door.

"Thanks for letting us know, Son!" Robyn said. "Imbecile; Mom and Dad have been out of the house for three hours," she muttered. I went slowly down the hall. I couldn't believe the conversation in the room had happened. This couldn't be happening. What would Kendall say? Oh, I could see her face now...

"Hey, Rusty; what's up?" Robyn said, moving around the kitchen counter as she prepared her sandwich.

"Can you make me one of those?" I asked. Food looked like the answer to bringing me back to reality. Robyn glanced at me and nodded, getting the supplies out again. She made the second one and slid the plate over to me, not saying anything. "Thanks," I said, taking it. I headed to the table, where I ate my sandwich. I carried the plate back to the kitchen sink, where Robyn had stood the entire time.

Robyn threw down the knife she'd had in her hand and looked at me. "Okay, so you gonna tell me what happened, or should I endure a few more hours of curiosity?"

I looked at her. I stammered, nothing coming out of my mouth. Robyn raised her eyebrows and didn't leave me alone. I took a deep breath and said, "Guess who's going to the ball after all?"

Robyn's expression slowly changed as it sunk in. "AHHH!" she screamed in pure joy, enveloping me in a tight hug.

"Nigel? Nigel, where are you?" Robyn called. She grabbed her wallet and shoved it in her purse after checking she had her driver's license. "Nigel, come on, we've got to go!"

"I'm watching a movie!" Nigel said. Robyn rolled her eyes and we went into the living room, but the TV wasn't on.

"Nigel?" I said.

"Oh my God," Robyn said, grinning. "There he is," she said, pointing to the small coffee table at the end of the couch on the other side of the wall. He sat on the couch, staring at something on the coffee table.

"Hey, gals," Nigel said without looking up.

"Nigel, what stage of watching a movie would this be?" Robyn said, stepping forward and taking the DVD off the table. "Contemplative?"

"Uh huh," Nigel said. "Hey, have you seen my scrunchie?"

Robyn took off her rubber band. "Would this be it?"

"Yup," Nigel said. "Okay, let's go."

We all went into the car, where Nigel didn't complain about the car smelling funny. Instead, he breathed loudly through his mouth the entire time, and started to complain that his stomach felt weird just as we were reaching the bridge.

"Nigel William Sebastian Irons, if you get carsick in my baby then I will toss you out onto the freeway," Robyn said.

"You used to get carsick too, and I never threatened to throw you out of the car," Nigel moaned form the back.

"Nigel, we were eight. Of course you didn't threaten me; it wasn't even your car," Robyn said. "And that was when we went to Donner Lake. That was up in the mountains, dude."

"I prefer the term," Nigel made a burp that sounded like something other than air came up but he swallowed and shuddered, "prima ballerina."

"Yeah, well, Prima Ballerina Nigel," Robyn said, "cough up a dollar, because we need to pay the toll." She snapped her fingers and pointed to the space between her seat and mine.

Nigel moved around a bit, and then he made a disgusting retching noise. I turned in alarm, thinking he'd actually done something, but he just dropped the dollar where Robyn was pointing.

"Nigel, that is dis-gus-ting," Robyn said. "Would you have done that if I'd gotten that cute blonde—"

"Isn't that Kendall's car behind us?" Nigel said.

"WHAT?" Me and Robyn said in unison, both turning around. Sure enough, there was the bright pink convertible with the bobble-heads in front. Oops, that was Kendall and Skylar. "Perfect," Robyn said, turning to face the road again.

"I've got an idea," Nigel said quietly.

"Just the greatest thing to have a bitch behind you on your way back to school," Robyn continued, not hearing Nigel. "How in the world can I make her pay for what the bitch did without getting in an accident?"

"I've got an idea," Nigel said.

"Dear God of Heaven, if there is a God that gives any justice in this world, please send me a sign on how to deal with Kendall Maybells!" Robyn exclaimed.

"Robyn," Nigel said, "I've got a revelation!"

Robyn looked at him, and then at the sky. "That was quick." She looked at Nigel in the rearview mirror. "So, what is it? Oh, wait, we have to pay the toll," she said, slowing down. "Rusty, cough up a dollar. Carpool rules," she said, holding out her hand.

"No, Rusty, don't!" Nigel said. "That's my whole revelation."

"Huh?" Me and Robyn said, both looking at him in the rearview mirror. Nigel told us what to do. Robyn's face broke into a grin. She drove up next to the toll and rolled down her window.

"Hello, how are you?" Robyn said. The guy grunted and held out his hand for the money. "Uh, look, those girls in the car behind us made a bet with us and said they'd pay the toll if I won." The guy seemed to be interested in Robyn all of a sudden now that she mentioned betting. "I won, but she's a little selfish, so don't be fooled if she says she doesn't know what you're talking about, okay?" The guy nodded eagerly. "Thanks. Bye," Robyn said, rolling up the window and pressing the gas.

"Nigel, you are now a messenger of God," Robyn said, looking at him again in the rearview mirror.

"Thank you, Robyn," Nigel said, bowing. "Can I have my dollar back now?" he said, reaching for it. Robyn quickly reached down and took it, stuffing it in her sweater pocket.

"Nah, Nigel, I think I'll keep this. Remember in third grade when you asked to borrow a dollar for lunch and you said you'd share it with me?"

"What, you want the crappy school lunch _now_?" Nigel said.

"No; just the dollar," Robyn said. Nigel clicked his tongue in annoyance. I grinned.

"You know, this is turning out to be more sinful and exciting than when I lived in New York," I said to them. "Looks like my dad was wrong—private school isn't less sinful."

"Yeah, but you gotta remember," Robyn said, "that you're hanging out with the school weirdo and losers. Whatever reputation you had was ruined the moment you started acting friendly with me and Aurora."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 9

"It's good to be back home," I said, burrowing myself under my blankets.

"You consider a church home? Hey, scoot over, girl," Robyn said. She joined me under the blanket, squishing Aurora.

"Move over!"

"You want me to move over? You've got half the bed!"

"Nah, that's Rusty; move your big butt!"

"My big butt—this is my bed!"

"Oh no, we're going to fall," Aurora said. And we fell, all tangled in the blankets and stuffies in a big giggling heap.

There was a knock on the door, and then a distinctly-recognizable Royalty say, "Keep it down, I'm trying to get my dress on."

"That could take all month, dear," Aurora said. We got ourselves out of the blankets and I opened the door to see Kayla standing in the doorway. After the office incident on my first day, she'd also called me a smart-ass, which was more of a compliment than an insult, after I didn't let her copy my science homework. Instead, I'd said that the science book was right next to her.

"Look, I actually have a date, so just—" she did the stupid little motion with her hand that the Royalty had started using that meant either shut up or calm down when they were doing it to themselves.

"Look, I have an actual decent date and more important things to do than argue with a slut like you right now, so just, you know—" I flipped her off and slammed the door.

"Where'd you put your dress, Rusty?" Aurora said.

"Oh, Robyn confiscated it because she said it looked like shit," I said. We both looked at Robyn, who grinned sheepishly. "Robyn, where's my dress?" I said with anxious concern.

"Don't worry, Rusty," Robyn said, rolling her eyes. "I just wanted to fix a few holes in it. It's in the laundry room, in the dryer. I just put it in before coming here."

"Good. There's only four days until the ball," I sighed. "Oh no, I'm starting to sound like one of them!"

"It's okay, Rusty, we've got your back," Aurora said, grabbing a bag of chanchito and throwing them to me. Robyn had bought them from a little corner shop called the Carniceria we'd dropped by, saying that none of the Royalty would ever eat them because in English they were called fried pork skin ears. I took a handful and tossed them to Robyn and then grabbed my math book and folder and we went into doing our homework and helping each other.

If we had been expecting it, we would've heard the whispers and giggles right outside our door. We would've known not to say where my dress was, and we would've known not to have a study group in my room instead of the main dorm. But, we were only human, and we weren't expecting the Royalty to do something as evil as they did.

"Okay, now, let's go over it again."

Robyn and I had been walking back from lunch when all of a sudden, we were grabbed from behind and something was tied around my eyes and I was gagged. On most circumstances, that would have been the most horrifying and terrifying experience ever—except for one thing. The boys that had taken us were, of course, Jesse and Justin, Aurora's date and brother, and they had talked to us the entire way.

"No, no, no, Justin, you aren't going to some prom. It's just a dance, okay? So your shirt is fine. Stop flicking your hair, Prince Charming. Go over again what I told you to do," Robyn said. She'd assumed the main position of telling the two boys what to do, standing in the center of the gym, where the dance would be. They were nervous and, since we were girls (they just noticed it), and we were the best friends of Aurora, we could help them to get more than just one date. Jesse really liked Aurora, he was just a little...intimidated by Robyn, who was usually with her. Which would be a major relief for Aurora.

"Jesse, loosen up. You look like you're going to spontaneously have a breakdown," I said, pushing his shoulders so he wasn't standing like a soldier. "Justin, what are you doing? Are you going to sweep her off her feet? Do you want to? Don't look at me like that, answer the question! No, I'm sorry, I can't hear you. Oh, really? And how are you going to do that? Then please tell me you aren't carrying a condom in your pocket. _Gochino_! Give me that!"

I stopped Robyn from strangling Justin, grabbed her shoulders so she couldn't move, and said, "Look, they're boys. They're high school boys. No, they're Catholic high school boys. No, scratch that; they're mastermind Catholic high school boys going to a dance."

"All right," Robyn sighed, getting out of my grip. "But if Rudy has the same intent that dear old Justin did, I'm going to make him a eunuch."

"Did she just—" Jesse stared at Justin, both of them open-mouthed, and then they quickly put their hands in front of their pants, just to be safe.

There was a thump at the door. "Oh, that's probably Aurora with Rusty's dress," Robyn said.

I rolled my eyes playfully and said, "If she was in a wheelchair and blind, she'd still find Jesse."

"Come in, Beautiful," Jesse called. The door opened, and Sister Wendy walked in. Jesse and Justin straightened up, and Robyn stepped down from where she'd stood on the chair to be taller than Justin and Jesse.

"Good afternoon, Sister Wendy," we chorused.

"Robyn and I were just giving Jesse and Justin advice on how to act around Aurora and Monica during the ball," I said, pulling my skirt nervously. Sister Wendy cleared her throat and nodded stiffly in her nun's habit.

"Rebecca Park," she said, turning to me, "I've just learned from some girls that the dryer that your dress was in was defective—"

"What?" I said.

"—and the remains of your dress aren't suitable for the upcoming ball. Please make new arrangements."

As she said this, she handed over a small box. She went outside, and I slowly opened it up, and pulled out the dress, dropping the box. I held it out.

It was ruined. The left sleeve was ripped off, the hem was torn, there was a huge rip across the chest, the waist ribbon had been taken out, the entire thing was full of holes...it was entirely ruined. We'd spent hours going from store to store, trying to find the right dress that wouldn't make me seem so small, my hair so red, until we finally found the white dress.

I dropped the dress on the floor and ran out. I heard Robyn behind me, yelling for me to stop. I ran past the cafeteria and the boys' staircase, past the bathrooms, up the stairs, through the girls' dorm, past the Royalty that had gathered on the armchairs and tables, up the stairs, through the tunnel connecting the building to the church, and down the stairs to the church. I fell before I reached the first pew, and let the tears flow then, sobbing.

I didn't know that Robyn had been behind me the entire time. I didn't know that the Royalty had locked the door to the dorm so Robyn couldn't follow me to the church. I didn't know that she'd carried the box and the dress the whole way to the church entrance only to have it locked. I just knew that whatever chances I had of going with Rudy to the ball, to show the Royalty that an outcast like me could get invited to the ball.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10

"Rusty, what's in the box?"

"Did you bring me some cookies?"

"Can I have one?"

"What kind are they?"

"They aren't oatmeal, are they?"

"Oh my God, I hate oatmeal."

"Me too!"

"Are you okay?"

"Were you crying?"

"Do you need to talk?"

"Can I help you pray?"

As I walked through the girls' dormitory, all the voices were meaningless. They were so obsessed about themselves, about getting a good reputation to get the hottest guy. They didn't care about me at all.

"Is that your new dress, Rusty?"

I froze, my heel on the ground and my toes in the air. I turned around and faced Kendall, who was sitting in the biggest armchair.

"Who said anything about my dress?" I said.

"Well, I saw your dress totally ruined and I was wondering if you had already gotten a new one," she said, her face full of curiosity and concern.

I looked at the box. Robyn had stuffed it in the box before she ran after me. There was no way anyone had seen it before—I'd just gotten back from the church. Robyn had given it to me, then asked if I wanted to be alone. I didn't answer, so she gave me a hug and left me.

I looked up at Kendall. This was her. It was all her, just so she could get Rudy. But this went beyond getting the hottest guy. This was serious—this showed she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.

This ended now.

"Kendall, come with me," I said. She got up, still acting like she was completely innocent. I went to my room and shut the door and locked it behind her.

"What's this about, Rusty?" she said, sitting on my bed. I turned around and faced her.

"This is about everything. All this Royalty shit, it needs to stop." Her face was confused. "I know you ruined my dress, Kendall. I'm not stupid, okay?"

"Who said you were stupid? Was it Olivia? I knew I couldn't tell that dumbass anything; you've got it the wrong way, Rusty—"

"Rebecca," I said coldly. She stopped, her mouth still in the process of saying something.

"What did I ever do to you? Why are you doing all these things to me? Why are you so mean to me? How can you just come to the school and act like you own it when there are other people that want to do more than just call people names and stereotype?" She got up, and opened the door. "I can't believe you," she said, glaring, before she slammed the door. I sank down to the floor, fresh tears coming.

On the way to dinner, I had to stop by my locker. I passed a few Royalty, and if looks could kill, I'd be stone cold. I ignored them and went to the locker, pressing in the lock as I spun in the combination because it was so old. I had to try three times, and when I finally got it open and was about to put the box inside...

Kayla, Olivia, Skylar, Angela, and Maddy came walking up the hallway, taking up the entire hall. Kayla had been trailing her hand on the lockers, and slammed mine shut, slapping me in the face. I staggered to the side, and then they all started laughing, like it was hilarious.

I put my hand to my face, tears welling up. I tried to open my locker again, but people kept hitting me with their shoulders as they passed, messing me up and make me start all over again. I put the box under my arm and bushed my eyes with the back of my hand. Come on, stop it, I told myself. Spoiled girls can't make you cry. I sniffed and blinked. But just as I was sitting down, the box next to me, the PA came on. It sounded like something was sniffing, crying...

My eyes got wide. No. No, she wouldn't do that.

Yes. She would.

People were whispering, laughing, all of them pointing at me. And then I heard Kendall say at the Royalty table, over the crying, "I'd like to tell everyone just how happy I am to have finally found a date to the Winter Wonderland Ball. His name is Rudy—"

That was when I ran.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 11

"She's horrible, the stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid! I was worried about her feelings—she was playing me along the entire time! I wanna go home, but I can't... She has the entire school under her control. No, no, no, she does. Stop her...please..."

Kendall had somehow made my humiliation go school-wide. I'd locked myself up in my room and cried for the past hour, and had broken nothing, had thrown nothing, and yelled at no one. I was just about ready to die.

And then my door opened and Robyn came in, singing.

"You're having a hard time and lately you don't feel so good."

"Lately?" I said. "More like the entire time I've been back at the school."

"You're getting a bad reputation in your neighborhood," she sang.

"I don't give a shit," I said.

"It's alright, it's alright. Sometimes that's what it takes. You're only human, you're allowed to make your share of mistakes," Robyn continued singing.

"But to screw up everything?" I said. "Robyn, no singing is going to help. I messed up everything, and now everyone hates me. Maybe I should just go jump out the window."

I opened the window, put my foot out, and then Robyn's hands were dragging me back. She slapped me, her face serious.

"Stop. Stop it right now. Are you gonna let some bitch just ruin your life? Are you gonna commit suicide just because she _wants_ to go out with Rudy? Or because she's trying to force you to go out with Funcheesie so he's not after her? Let me tell you something, Rebecca Park; she's not worth committing suicide. Not her, not Kayla, not Rudy, not even me. No one is worth your life, Rusty. Come on," Robyn said, her voice now softer. "She's a spoiled bitch, chicken-shit; that's all she is. She's not used to not getting her way, and she's as stubborn as a jackass.

"But you are going to that dance, and you are going to dance, and if I have to tie, gag and lock Kendall and everyone else up in the janitor's smelly closet—it'll be my pleasure."

"I don't have a dress, and I'm not going to be able to get in," I said.

"I said it once, I'll say it again, I'll say until everyone in the entire world knows it—if I have to tie, gag and lock Kendall and anyone else up in the janitor's disgusting closet—it'll be my pleasure," Robyn said.

"It was smelly last time," I mumbled.

"And you don't need to worry about the dress, Rusty," Robyn said. She put her hand over my shoulders and led me to Aurora's room. "I think she's got this."

Aurora looked up from the sewing machine. "Why didn't you tell me, Rusty? Didn't I tell you that I took sewing and knitting lessons from my grandma?"

"N-n-n-no," I said quietly.

"Well, now you know. And you'll know something else, too; you're going to be the best-looking girl at the ball, I guarantee. And if anyone other than Rudy so much as looks at your dress funny," Aurora said, holding her needle like a dagger, "then, dear, forget about Robyn—I'll be there and get them into their own stylish mummy."

I felt tears coming down my cheeks again. But these were different—I was ready to do anything.

Even face Kendall.

"Aurora, how's the dress coming—ah!"

I froze with my hand on the doorknob, staring at who was in the room. Angela was sitting on Aurora's bed, sewing the hem of my dress by hand. I turned to make a run for it.

"Wait!" Angela said. She grabbed my arm, and I had no choice but to turn around. "I'm sorry I was such a bitch to you. I really am. I know you probably won't trust anyone now, but I understand. Kendall went too far. And since I was there when Kendall ruined your dress, I wanted to help make a better one."

I looked at Angela. "If Kendall does anything else, you're not going to be involved?"

"No," Angela said.

"She didn't send you here to distract me from something?"

"Rusty, I swear. I'm never listening to her again," Angela said.

"What about Alex Funchess?" I said.

"What about him?"

"Weren't you with Kendall about trying to get me to go out with him?" I said.

Angela started to shake her head, and then sighed. "Yes. I was. But you two would have made such a cute couple—"

"Except for the fact that I don't like him and all this was just Kendall's plan so she could go out with Rudy," I said coldly.

Angela was silent for a moment. "All right. Rusty, I'll try my best to stop being matchmaker."

"You'd better do more than try," Robyn said. She came up behind me. "If Kendall does anything else, I'm not holding back. Whoever is at the scene, they're gonna pay."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

I sighed and checked the clock on the wall. "Oh, what's the use in this?" I said to myself. I should have known Kendall would make sure that I wouldn't go to the dance. I was the only girl still at the dorm, apart from my dear new friend, Pillow. I hugged Pillow, trying to fight the anger and tears when my cell phone rang.

"Hello?" I said, trying not to sound like I was fighting tears.

"Rusty? Where are you?" It was Robyn.

"Still at the dorm." I said glumly. "Waiting for Rudy."

"Oh, damn. That boy better get over there, or I'm gonna go run home, grab him by the hair—"

I jumped at the sound of a motorcycle. I ran to the window, and saw the shape of Rudy in the dark. "He's here!"

"He probably heard me," Robyn said. "I'll see you there."

"Okay." I closed the phone and ran down the stairs, coming down the last few steps as Rudy jogged over.

"I'm really sorry I'm late, the traffic was just—" Rudy stopped, and stared at me.

"What?" I said, feeling myself get hot.

"You're beautiful." I looked down, feeling my cheeks get hotter. "I mean it. You are beautiful." Rudy said.

That, ladies, and gentlemen, felt better than being called hot or sexy.

At the dance, Robyn was the one letting people go in. "I'm making sure you don't get mixed up with any Royalty," she said, grinning.

We went in, and Rudy was kind of quiet.

"I want to make it up to you for being late," he kept saying.

"Rudy, it's fine. It's not your fault the traffic was—" Rudy suddenly gave me a kiss on the cheek. I blinked. Did that really happen?

"Ugh!" Kendall sneered at me, sticking out her chest at Rudy to show him that she was, in her opinion, a real woman. She was wearing a tight red dress that was in a narrow V that went all the way down to her stomach. "Can I talk to Rusty for a sec, Rudy? Just girl-talk."

Rudy tightened his grip on my hand, but I said, "No, it's okay."

"Rusty, Robyn told me what happened. I'm not letting you go," he said.

"It's okay, Rudy. She's not gonna do anything in a crowd of people," I said, and followed Kendall off to the side. "I hope," I mumbled when I saw her eyes.

Come on, Rusty. Don't look like you're intimidated. You're not. You're not scared either, because you have Robyn, Aurora, Angela, Amanda...Rudy. Oh, now that Rudy was mentioned, I felt like giggling like a maniac. I managed to keep it under control.

Kendall stood there for a second, looking at me. I looked back, making gestures for her to talk. When she didn't do anything for a while, I sighed and said, "Are you gonna say anything or are we going to have a staring contest? I mean, we went through all this—"

"How'd you do it?" Kendall suddenly burst out.

"Come again?"

"How'd you..." she gestured at the dancers. I raised my eyebrows. "You know, make everyone help you? What'd you do? Did you promise to do their homework for them? Pay them? Get into the computer and make their Fs into As? Sleep with them?"

"Ew," I said. "Uh, Kendall, I think that you need to realize something."

"I know, this dress makes me look fat," Kendall said angrily.

"No," I said, trying not to laugh. She was so incredibly stupid. "Kendall, I didn't do anything to them."

"Then how'd you get Robyn and Aurora to hang out with you? What did you do!" Kendall shouted in anger. I looked around and saw some people looked at us, but the music was so loud that no one really heard. "Rebecca!" Kendall said, grabbing my face and making me look at her. "I'm frigging ready to have a tantrum here!"

"What I didn't do was be spoiled, rich, and a slut," I said, looking straight at her. "I didn't act like I was above them. I didn't stereotype. I was different, Robyn and Aurora were too. And I don't mean different like they had boots instead of the normal flat shoes. I mean that they did whatever they did without caring what people thought of them. Their friend, Nigel," I said, wondering if I should tell her. She looked at me, hungry for the things I was saying. Yes, let's see her reaction. "The gay boy that was at Ross with us that one day—" her face was pure shock but I continued "—you saw how he was dressed when you came in. He's gay, and he doesn't give a shit what other people think of him. He's happy with himself, and that's all that matters. That's all that should matter."

I left her and went over to Rudy.

"What'd she want?" Rudy said suspiciously as he took my hand again protectively.

"She just wanted to talk, like she said," I said innocently. "I just told her Nigel was really, you know, gay. Her face was pretty much the same as last time."

"Yeah, I think Robyn has it on video," Rudy said, jerking his chin over to the entrance. I looked over, and saw Robyn's face lit by the light of a camera. She looked like she was enjoying herself, and I heard her laughter over the music.

After the dance, me and Rudy went for a walk around the school gardens that the Sisters took care of it, and were very strict about keeping food and trash out of their precious babies.

"You know," I said, fighting a shiver. Rudy slipped out of his jacket and put it over me. I grinned at him. "My dad was wrong. Private Catholic school wasn't less sinful than the public schools. And to think, I might've been a Religious if I hadn't met Robyn on my first day. Weird, huh?"

"Rusty, don't take this the wrong way," Rudy said, "but I don't think you could've ever fit in as a Religious. You're perfect with the status you have right now."

"Rudy, I don't have any status," I said.

"Exactly." Rudy said, grinning. I grinned back.

Maybe my dad was right, after all. Maybe private Catholic school was for me.


	14. Chapter 14

Epilogue

"And over here would be the showers, which are still getting cleaned up from the dance a month ago. There's the laundry room—always have someone with you when you go there, because it gets pretty damn scary at night, especially if you just came from the dorm where you were watching The Blare Witch Project—Rusty!" Robyn went over to me, where I was waiting for her in front of the cafeteria. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Rusty, but we've got new students, who are cousins. Rebecca Park, meet Emma Campbell and Imani Boyd," Robyn said.

"Hi," I said to the two girls. Emma was tall, had curly red hair in a bun like me, and had freckles all over her nose. Imani was a little shorter than Emma, had curly brown hair, and was a little chubby.

"Okay, first thing to know about this Catholic private school," I said, "is there're three groups. There's the Royalty and the Religious, and then there's us, the Outcasts. But they just call us that because we're different."


	15. Chapter 15

Epilogue

"And over here would be the showers, which are still getting cleaned up from the dance a month ago. There's the laundry room—always have someone with you when you go there, because it gets pretty damn scary at night, especially if you just came from the dorm where you were watching The Blare Witch Project—Rusty!" Robyn went over to me, where I was waiting for her in front of the cafeteria. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Rusty, but we've got new students, who are cousins. Rebecca Park, meet Emma Campbell and Imani Boyd," Robyn said.

"Hi," I said to the two girls. Emma was tall, had curly red hair in a bun like me, and had freckles all over her nose. Imani was a little shorter than Emma, had curly brown hair, and was a little chubby.

"Okay, first thing to know about this Catholic private school," I said, "is there're three groups. There's the Royalty and the Religious, and then there's us, the Outcasts. But they just call us that because we're different."


End file.
